Simon Elmont, left and Steve Wright are seen off on their 350-mile trek by supporters. (0758756)

TREKKERS Simon Elmont and Steve Wright set off this weekend for their 350-mile journey across the Greenland ice sheet.

The two Cable & Wireless engineers flew from Guernsey on Saturday afternoon to London, where they spent a night before heading for Iceland. They stayed there for one night and were today due to get to Greenland.

‘I just want to get going, really,’ said Mr Elmont before he departed.

‘The hard part was leaving the children and the rest of my family. That bit is always difficult to do.

‘We arrive there on Monday afternoon then, 24 hours later, get a helicopter which drops us on top of the ice.

‘It’s pretty cold up there. They’ve had some incredibly low temperatures for the time of year, so the ice is nice and firm. The winds have been low, so that’s good.’

Their trek, which has been sponsored by Sure and Guernsey Gas, aims to push islanders to realise the implications of rising sea levels as well as raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

They will travel unaided across the ice, pulling a 100kg sled in temperatures as low as minus -40C.